Sermon Tone Analysis

*EXODUS 20:3-4*

By the Sinai covenant Yahweh confirmed his work of redeeming his vassal people from the overlordship of Egypt by making them his own servants.

§  Their role henceforth would be to mediate or intercede as priests between the holy God and the wayward nations of the world, with the end in view not only of declaring his salvation, but providing the human channel in and through whom that channel would be effected.

(Merril, 80).

§  ‘a fresh ordering of the legal side of the nation’s life under the authority of God’.

‘In the first commandment worshipping a false God is forbidden; in the second commandment the worshipping of the true God in a false manner is forbidden’.

(Watson, 44)

 

*A.

**THE COVENANT TESTIMONY  *

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW IS NOT TO ‘GET IN’ TO THE KINGDOM BUT RATHER TO ‘STAY IN’: “/I am the Lord thy God who has brought thee out of the land of Egypt/…” [Exo.20:3].

*1.       **The Identity of Suzerain*

The preamble of the ten words: “/I am the Lord your God/…” [Exo.20:2a].

§  Identifies the Suzerain and that in terms calculated to inspire awe and fear.

*a.

**The Lord *

The first part of the identity: “/I am the Lord/…” [Exo.20:2].

·         אָֽנֹכִ֖י - “/I am/” [20:2], pronoun 1st person common singular; the ‘one who always is’;

·         יְהוָ֣ה - “/Lord/” [20:2], ‘the one who always is’; ‘Jehovah’; focus on ‘sure existence’ and ‘presence with his covenant people’ [Exo.3:15];

*                                                                                                         i.

**A Holy Lord *

The holy Lord of Mount Sinai: “/lo, I came to you in the thick cloud/…” [19:9].

·         The holy Presence: “/you shall set bounds unto the people round about/…” [19:12].

·         The separation: “/there shall not a hand touch it…whether it be beast or man, it shall not live/” [19:13].

·         The fear of the Lord: “/all the people that was in the camp trembled/” [19:16].

*b.

**Your God *

The second part of the identity: “/I am the Lord your God/…” [Exo.20:2].

·         אֱלֹהֶ֑֔יךָ - “/your God/” [20:2], with 2nd person masculine singular suffix,

*                                                                                                         i.

**The Self-giving & ‘I AM Here’ God*

The self-giving aspect of the identity: by the addition of the self-giving phrase “/your God/” [20:2].

·         Yahweh can only have become their God by his act of giving himself.

·         The self-giving was in God’s /coming down/, in God’s /commitment to covenant/, in God’s /salvific actions/, and in God now /speaking to his covenant partner/.

*Application*

The /preamble/ identifies the Suzerain and that in terms calculated to inspire awe and fear.

*2.

**The Conquering Saviour *

The Suzerain Lord cites the benefits he has bestowed on his vassal, Israel.

The theocratic covenant relationship is traced to Yahweh’s redemptive election and deliverance.

*a.

**The Location *

The location: “/which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt/…” [20:2].

·         הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ - “/brought you out/” [20:2], hiphil perfect, ‘bring out’; ‘carry or bear an object from one place to another’;

·         A reminder of the day of salvation: “/I bare you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself/” [Exo.19:4].

·         מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם - “/land of Egypt/” [20:2], ‘motion away from’;

*b.

**The Bondage *

The bondage: “/out of the house of bondage/” [20:1].

·         מִבֵּ֣֥ית - “/out of house/” [20:2], ‘motion away from’;

·         עֲבָדִֽ֑ים - “/bondage/” [20:2], ‘slave’; ‘one who is owned by another for service’;

·         The King of Egypt: “/they made their lives bitter with hard bondage/…” [Exo.1:14].

·         The redemption: “/thou in thy steadfast love hast led forth the people whom thou hast redeemed/…” [Exo.15:13].

*c.  **The Summary *

The prologue introduces the Ten Commandments, a series of principles concerned with relationship with Yahweh and with humankind, by reference to what that relationship meant, thus far, /for/ the people of Israel.

§  Yahweh now is speaking has given himself to them.

He has brought them out from Egypt.

He has made them who were no people, a people; he has given freedom to those who were slaves.

§  What follows is what the relationship, if it is to be continued, must have /from/ the people.

§  The /speaker/ is none other than God himself; the /people addressed/ are in special relationship with God; the relationship is one based on /God’s powerful and gracious deliverance/ of this people from slavery.

*Application*

The point of the introduction is not merely to identify Yahweh, but precisely to establish a relationship between Israel’s experience of deliverance and the obligations that would now be imposed.

§  This element in the document was clearly designed to inspire confidence and gratitude in the vassal and thereby to dispose him to attend to the covenant obligations, which constitute the third element in both Exodus 20 and the international treaties.

§  Thirdly, that these assertions – “I am the Lord your God” – are validated by their completely discontinuous new situation, as a people brought forth from Egypt, and from their non-status of slaves to the status of a people to whom Yahweh has given himself.

Yahweh’s self-revelation – “/God spoke all these words/” [20:1] – and Yahweh’s self-giving: “/I am the Lord your God/…” [20:2].

*B.

**THE FIRST WORD *

The first commandment: sole allegiance to the Lord lies at the heart of the covenant relationship.

It is the foundation on which everything else rests.

The people in practice were to be monotheistic, worshipping only the Lord.

*1.       **The First Word *

The one central demand: the vassal must be exclusively committed to the suzerain ruler…

*a.

**The Personal Address *

The word is spoken to each individual in a personal address: “/you shall have no other/…” [20:3].

§  לְךָ֛֩ - “/you/” [20:3], preposition with second person masculine singular suffix,

*b.

**The Command *

*                                                                                                         i.

**The Exclusive Devotion  *

The first word: “/you shall have no other gods/…” [20:3].

§  לֹֽ֣א יִהְיֶֽה־ לְךָ – literally, ‘not it shall be to you’;

§  יִהְיֶֽה – “/have/” [20:3], qal imperfect, ‘to be’;

§  אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים – “/other/” [20:3], ‘additional’;

§  לְךָ֛֩ – “/to you/” [20:3], preposition with masculine singular suffix,

§  אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים – “/gods/” [20:3],

*                                                                                                       ii.

**The Ancient World *

The exclusive claims of Israel’s God were not paralleled in the religions of the ancient world but in the politics of the time.

§  The great kings of the ancient empires demanded exclusive loyalty of their subject peoples.

It was high treason to enter into a relationship with another emperor.

§  This was the focus of the treaty relationships with their vassals, and in a far higher sense it is such exclusive allegiance that is the emphasis of Yahweh’s kingship over his people.

In his presence there can be no rival for their affection and service.

§  Yahweh is Israel’s King: “/for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them/” [1Sam.8:7].

*                                                                                                     iii.

**The Polytheism *

Israel was to live as the people of God surrounded by idolatry and polytheism.

§  They were rescued from the idolatry of Egypt; they were to enter into the land of Canaan.

§  Pagan thought saw no contradiction in the pious seeking to please first one god, and then another as circumstances changed

*c.

**Traditional Interpretation *

The traditional Jewish interpretation of this commandment as a prohibition of idolatry is based on the fact that elsewhere in the Old Testament “other gods” refers not to divine beings as such, but to idols of wood or stone worshipped by other nations.